1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heat dissipators for use with semiconductor units, and more particularly concerns improvements in sheet metal, winged, heat dissipators of the type in which semiconductor units are snapped into place.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,215 describes a type of heat dissipator which has attained wide usage. This prior heat dissipator has a stamped sheet metal body with a flat base portion, and two wing portions extending therefrom in diverging relationship. Two pairs of oppositely facing fingers were struck from the metallic sheet and bent outwardly from the base in a direction opposite to the extension of the wing portions. A semiconductor unit, having the form of a rectangular dielectric body or block containing a semiconductor element or integrated circuit, is snapped into place adjacent the base between one pair of resilient fingers which functions as springy detent or snap engagements means. The other pair of fingers follow the L-shaped contour of a pair of heat conductive metal legs or tabs which extended laterally from the body of the semiconductor unit, in surface-to-surface contact.
While this prior heat dissipator is generally satisfactory, the progress in the electronic art which have taken place since U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,215 was issued, has imposed new demands in manufacture, installation and use which the prior heat dissipators can not meet effciently. Among these new requirements are demands for reduced costs and complexity of manufacture and installation, such as greater economy in use of materials and labor for assembly, greater strength of assemblies, greater resistance to shock and vibration in use, more compact size, greater heat dissipation capability, avoidance of destruction and/or degradation of operating parameters of semiconductor units by heating methods used in soldering assemblies in place, more secure mounting of assemblies, etc.